Blue Fire
by Callie Mitchel
Summary: As the Second Wizarding War rages across Great Britain, the 7th years return to Hogwarts for their final year. Their hunt for Horcruxes on hold, the Golden Trio are back at school; So is Draco Malfoy. Armed with a magical knife, Draco is given the task of killing Hermione Granger, but after just one night shared in the heads dormitories he knows it will be impossible. On HIATUS
1. Chapter 1: Maybe

**A/N: Okay this is my first fanfic that my friends haven't discovered and 'accidentally' deleted so take it easy on me. This is NOT a Hermione/Harry fic. Actually I only made it that way because I could never see RonxHermione happening. Strictly Dramione. Oh and the way I have it in my head, Harry went out with Hermione instead of Ginny in Half Blood Prince, Draco used expeliarmus on Dumbledore and he fell off the tower and McGonagall saved him, because Dumbledore didn't die everyone is still at school too.**

**The Knife Draco uses was inspired from Gravidy's God of the Lost. It is NOT the same knife but it is very similar.**

**Xox Callie**

**Disclaimer: I wrote to JKR last month but she wouldn't give me the rights to Harry Potter so all the characters and things you recognise belong to her. For now… **

**Chapter 1: Maybe**

"_The Blade's Master must take the heart of a Muggle Born Girl to be complete…" Draco Malfoy shut _Dark Magick_ and smirked. He knew just the Mudblood filth to kill… he might even have some fun with her first… _

_September 1st 1997_

"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" Hermione recognised Hagrid's familiar call and smiled in relief. After Bill and Fleur's wedding reception the night before, she had worried that Hagrid would be too hung-over to make it. Hermione did notice that Hagrid was still a little shaky on his feet though. He caused several third years to scatter to avoid being trampled.

Hermione broke her gaze away from Hagrid just to come face-to-face with Lavender Brown. Lavender squealed and flung her arms around Hermione's neck. "Hermione! I'm so glad you came. You know there's been so many rumours that you were leaving this year to fight You-Know-Who with Ron and Harry." Hermione didn't doubt there was. Rumours established by Lavender likely. In truth they had considered it but Dumbledore had said he had more to teach them and consequently shut down their operation. When she didn't deny the rumour Lavender continued "I knew you'd be Head Girl of course. We've _all_ know since first year. Gosh it's flown by so quickly don't you think? Who's the Head Boy? Do you know?"

"I don't actually… he _was_ supposed to meet me in the prefect's carriage so we could de-brief the new prefects but he never came." Hermione had been genuinely distressed when he hadn't shown because it only reinforced the possibility of it being _him._

"'Mione! Hurry up or we won't get a carriage!" Harry called to her from the queue.

"I'll be there in a minute Harry!" Hermione called back to him. To Lavender she said "I have to go. But I'll see you at the feast right?"

Lavender nodded. "Of course. Good luck with the Head Boy. I bet he's a real hottie too."

"Lavender! You know I'm with Harry!"

"I am just saying that two cute guys are not too many." Lavender shrugged and walked off to join Parvati Patil.

Hermione turned and ran to the carriage where Harry was holding a door open for her. She took one look at the thesterals and shivered. That summer had indeed been an unforgiving one. Harry helped her inside and she held onto his hand, she finally understood what he meant about not wanting to see the Thesterals. Somehow she doubted she'd be as friendly with the Unicorns this year too. Innocence is lost very quickly in a war.

"Hi, Neville. I haven't seen you since the Battle. How are things? How's Luna?" Neville had finally asked Luna out after they had won the battle last year. Hermione was so glad to finally see them together, even if she had had misgivings about Luna at first.

"She's alright. Nearly gave Gran a heart attack when she started saying there were Wrackspurts in her brain though. Should have seen her face." Neville laughed at the memory but had gone bright red at the mention of Luna's name.

"Did you find out who the Head Boy was?" Ron asked Hermione.

"No… he didn't show. I'm staring to worry that it might be_ him_. You know what Dumbledore's like. Never can get enough of that house equality crap." Hermione scowled. She wouldn't put it past Dumbledore to do this to her.

"Don't worry 'Mione. Even if Dumbledore _was_ stupid enough to appoint that git head boy we'll just talk him out of it. You worry too much as it is." Harry put his arm around Hermione and she leaned into his chest feeling slightly less anxious.

As the carriage rode past the lake they saw the first years making their way across. A particularly small one had fallen into the lake and was now shivering in Hagrid's massive mole skin coat. Even as they watched, an adventurous group rocked the boat a little too much and tipped over into the lake. They were in the water for only a few moments when the giant squid plucked them out. Hermione laughed as she was reminded of the one group that had happened to fall every year.

When the carriage reached Hogwarts they split up to find all of their belongings. Hermione found Crookshanks and his carrier next to her trunk and began lugging them up too the castle. It wasn't until she was in the Entrance Hall when she realised she could have performed a simple levitation charm to get all of her belongings up to the castle.

From behind her Hermione could hear a familiar voice that took no time at all to place. "What do you mean _everyone_ needs to be searched. I didn't see you checking over Scarhead when he came in. Wait until my father hears about this!" Malfoy scowled and glanced about the room. "What are you looking at, Mudblood?"

"A flobberworm that can talk apparently." Hermione said offhandedly. His insults, especially his use of the word mudblood, had become so frequent and overused that they ceased to hold any meaning.

"I'd rather kiss a flobberworm than muggle scum like you." Malfoy retorted. He held back a laugh though. He never got over Hermione's wit. Even before they were enemies it had amazed him.

"Merlin, would you just grow up already? It's like you are determined to stay 11 forever." Hermione sighed. She had occasionally felt sorry for him, before last year that is, but now she was just over it.

"Maybe I should stay like this… or…" He took a step towards her. She held her ground and refused to flinch when he ran a hand down her arm. "Maybe you'd like me more if I changed."

Hermione knew he must be messing with her by what he was implying, but he did have a point in one perspective. "Well duh. Right now you're a daddy's boy with a superiority complex. Who just so happens to be a death eater who attempted to kill Dumbledore. So yeah, I do think I would like it more if you changed." Hermione shoved him away and walked off. Leaving a dumbstruck Malfoy in her wake.

Malfoy was furious. But it was not the kind he was used to. It was a good type of anger. The kind that drove people to live up to a challenge. If being 'nice' was what it took to make her trust him, nice he would be.


	2. Chapter 2: New Rules

**A/N: Okay here is chapter 2. I'm still getting the hang of writing using other people's characters so I'm sorry that it's so OoC. I'm really grateful to 1Ambree and alltimelowfreak11 for reviewing already; I hope I don't disappoint. Hope you like my fic :D**

**Disclaimer: If I was a billionaire who owned Harry Potter why would I be writing Fanfiction? In saying that though I did quote Lewis Carroll's "Curiouser and Curiouser" from Alice in Wonderland here.**

**Chapter 2: New Rules**

"Where were you?" Harry whispered to Hermione as she sat down.

"Malfoy held me up." She whispered back.

Harry grabbed Hermione's wrist and forced her to look at him. "Are you alright? I swear if he hurt you…"

"Harry don't be so ridiculous. Malfoy's a coward. Unless he had some serious back up he wouldn't even dare try what he did last year." She shook Harry off and looked to McGonagall who was waiting to start the Sorting. Harry was still tense beside her so she added "he was just being his arsish self. Nothing to worry about."

"Sorry 'Mione. He just gives me the creeps is all. I knew he was up to something last year but I didn't even think to do something more about it. If anyone had gotten hurt…" He trailed off.

"What happened last year was not your fault. No. Listen to me Potter. It was not your fault. It wasn't even Malfoy's. You know what he's like. He's scared of You-Know-Who just like the rest of us. He just didn't want to die. You can't blame a person for that." Hermione had no idea why she was defending Malfoy, especially after what happened in the Entrance Hall. Quite frankly she hated Malfoy with all her heart even when she was sympathetic with him. "Now shush. The Sorting's going to start soon."

McGonagall placed the sorting hat on its stool and it began to sing:

_In times of old when I was new  
And Hogwarts barely started  
The Founders of our noble school  
Thought never to be parted:  
United by a common goal,  
They had the selfsame yearning  
To make the world's best magic school  
And pass along their learning.  
"Together we will build and teach!"  
The Four good friends decided  
And never did they dream that they  
Might someday be divided,  
For were there such friends anywhere  
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?  
Unless it was the second pair  
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?  
So how could it have gone so wrong?  
How could such friendships fail?  
Why, I was there and so can tell  
The whole sad, sorry tale.  
Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those  
Whose ancestry is purest."  
Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose  
Intelligence is surest."  
Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those  
With brave deeds to their name,"  
Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,  
And treat them just the same."  
These differences caused little strife  
When first they came to light,  
For each of the four founders had  
A House in which they might  
Take only those they wanted, so,  
For instance, Slytherin  
Took only pure-blood wizards  
Of great cunning, just like him,  
And only those of sharpest mind  
Were taught by Ravenclaw  
While the bravest and the boldest  
Went to daring Gryffindor,  
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,  
And taught them all she knew,  
Thus the Houses and their founders  
Retained friendships firm and true.  
So Hogwarts worked in harmony  
For several happy years,  
But the discord crept among us  
Feeding on our faults and fears.  
The Houses that, like pillars four,  
Had once held up our school,  
Now turned upon each other and,  
Divided, sought to rule.  
And for a while it seemed the school  
Must meet an early end,  
What with dueling and with fighting  
And the clash of friend on friend  
And at last there came a morning  
When old Slytherin departed  
And though the fighting then died out  
He left us quite downhearted.  
And never since the founders four  
Were whittled down to three  
Have the Houses been united  
And they once were meant to be.  
And now the Sorting Hat is here  
And you all know the score:  
I sort you into Houses  
Because that is what I'm for,  
But this year I'll go further,  
Listen closely to my song:  
Though condemned I am to split you  
Still I worry that it's wrong,  
Though I must fulfill my duty  
And must quarter every year  
Still I wonder whether sorting  
May not bring the end I fear.  
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,  
The warning history shows,  
For our Hogwarts is in danger  
From external, deadly foes  
And we must unite inside her  
Or we'll crumble from within  
I have told you, I have warned you..  
Let the sorting now begin _

"Curiouser and curiouser…" Hermione muttered to herself. "That's the song from out fifth year… and it's unsurprisingly, it's still not going to happen."

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. "Abel, Jonathan…"

Hermione waited quietly for the sorting to finish. Gryffindor had 8 new first years, Slytherin had 14, Hufflepuff had 11 and Ravenclaw had 7. After the Sorting, Dumbledore made his was to the podium and began to speak.

"To our newcomers, welcome. To our old hands, welcome back. I usually save my more, err, important, speeches for after our feast but this year there are some new changes that I would like addressed before you are out of the eyesight of the teachers." Dumbledore paused for a moment, amused at the confused look on his students' faces. "Firstly, Mr Filch has yet again asked me to remind you that all purchases from Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes and Zonko's Joke Shop are banned. After a particularly bad event with some out of date love potion we have updated out secrecy sensors to include things in the wrong box and or bottle. Secondly I feel the need to reinforce the ban on the Forbidden Forest. I have told you all countless times that there are many horrible painful ways to die there. The curfew for all students, with the exception to the Prefects and Heads on patrol, is 8 o'clock. Any student caught out of their common rooms after this time will be given three weeks of detention and 50 points will be taken from your house.

"On a very different note, and most likely even more upsetting to some of our students, Muggle Studies will be compulsory for all year levels-" Dumbledore ignored the groans coming from the Slytherin table, "as I feel that an understanding of our non-magical counterparts may remind some of our, err, misinformed, students that we are all human.

"Lastly, and most importantly, this year we are going to be focusing on house unity. I know we have all disregarded the Sorting Hat's warnings over the last three years but it is time for that to come to an end. For 200 years this school has been fraught with battles between its four houses and it is tearing us apart. I do understand when two people just don't get along but when an entire school pits itself against each other because of what house they are in it is simply ridiculous.

"About thirty years ago I knew a pair of friends who were closer than family. When they came to the school that is. But one was sorted into Gryffindor and one to Slytherin and eventually their friendship came to an end because of their friends being so hateful of their friendship. And I know it has happened to so many people before and after them and I am begging for it to stop. Classes this year have been determined so that there are people from all four houses in each class. Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy, I am counting on you, as our Head Girl and Boy to make this happen. That is all."

Hermione sighed and placed her head on the table. "I wasn't going to say I told you so but I did tell you."

"I'll go talk to Dumbledore. He can't really mean for us to let you share a dorm with the slimy git." Harry said through his teeth.

"Dumbledore must be a fool to even think Malfoy should even _be_ at the school. I always said he was bonkers." Ron said clenching his fists.

"Will both of you stop trying to fight my battles for me? I can take care of myself. And maybe Malfoy _can_ change. Who the hell knows? It's not like any of us have ever given him the chance to change. We've always suspected him for everything. No- don't look at me like that Harry, you have. For all we know, he might have changed but because we all expect him to be a complete arse he becomes one!" Hermione realised she had raised her voice the moment she finished. A second later she realised that the entire Great Hall was silent.

She looked around, desperate for an escape. Professor McGonagall had stood up and was standing next to the entrance of the Great Hall's anti-chamber. Hermione stood up and walked towards her. On the Gryffindor table behind her she could hear Ron say "Blimey, what's got her wand in a twist?"


	3. Chapter 3: Mildred

**A/N Hi. I uploaded just like I promised. I hope I haven't screwed this up with the OOC-ness of the characters. Read and pretty please review. I, and my muses, get inspired when they're encouraged and corrected.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. The entire Potterverse belongs to J.K Rowling.**

**Chapter Three: Mildred **

In the Great Hall's anti-chamber Professor McGonagall kept shooting worried looks at Hermione; it wasn't until 10 minutes later she finally asked "Miss Granger is everything alright?"

Hermione considered the question for a moment. _Is everything alright? _Well, Hermione rationalized, fighting with Harry and Ron was not right but she had felt justified in doing so. Her parents having their memories taken away had felt wrong but necessary. Standing up for Malfoy was unheard of but that too _hadn't_ felt wrong which confused her all the more. _House unity_. That's what Dumbledore was always going on about. Perhaps the old man was on to something. After all, the war the Wizarding world battled now was based on what could even be considered the Wizarding equivalent of racism. That's when Hermione understood, "No, Professor. Everything is not alright. This ridiculous feuding between the houses is not alright. It needs to stop or we'll be faced with a school full of prejudice that will carry on through to our adulthood."

"That's very wise of you Miss Granger." Professor Dumbledore said, coming to sand by the fireplace. "And I trust that you will make the effort to convey that to the school this year?"

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore. I most certainly will. Even if it means getting along with the Ferr- Malfoy." Hermione caught herself before she could let the word _Ferret _slip from her lips.

"What's this about us _getting along_?" Malfoy had stridden into the room, the candlelight playing on the hard angles of his face and highlighting the bags under his eyes.

"Miss Granger was commenting on the need for House Unity in the school, Mr Malfoy. In truth it was my reason for placing the two of you as our heads this year." Professor Dumbledore didn't look even slightly ashamed of his motives. If only they knew his _real_ motives…

"I figured that must be it. No other fool but you would do this to us, Professor." Malfoy rolled his eyes and sat on the dais.

McGonagall scowled and opened her mouth to reprimand him but Dumbledore's quite chuckle stopped her. "Well I do suppose you are right Mr Malfoy. But I do believe that if you two can act civil towards each other it will be the most momentous occasion of Hogwarts' history since James Potter saved Professor Snape from the Whomping Willow."

McGonagall cleared her throat loudly, "Albus, I do believe you have told the Heads enough of your memories for the night. Don't you agree?" She glared pointedly at Dumbledore who chuckled.

"It appears so Minerva. Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger, if you'll follow me to your new common room." Hermione and Malfoy followed Dumbledore out of the room.

As they wandered the corridors of Hogwarts Malfoy leant over to whisper into Hermione's ear "Could have had a brilliant drinking game with the amount of times the words _House Unity_ were said in there." Hermione stifled a laugh.

Dumbledore lead them to a portrait of a majestic looking Eagle.

"Welcome students," The eagle began," and welcome to your new home. To enter you must choose a password and say it at the same time."

The Slytherin and the Gryffindor both thought for a moment and it was Malfoy who first spoke. "What about _pax._ It means truce in Latin."

"I know what it means Malfoy." Hermione snapped but then, with less force said, "I like it. It's fitting. On the count of three?"

"Sure. But on my count. Three… two …one" Malfoy counted down.

"_Pax_' they said together.

The portrait swung open to reveal a lavish common room. Its squashy chairs and couches were reminiscent of their houses' common rooms but instead of the green and red they were used to, these were black as the night sky that could be seen through the window on the eastern side of the room and scattered with purple cushions. The lampshades and hearth rug were purple too and a fire cackled gaily in the fireplace. The wall surrounding the doorway was lined with bookshelves and (Hermione recalled from Hogwarts: A History) they were enchanted so whatever book you needed appeared. The only reminder of the Heads' houses were the house banners on either side of the small room. Doors lead off to their rooms from either side of the eastern window.

"It's beautiful." Hermione muttered.

"Yeah. It is." Malfoy said. But he wasn't looking at the room**. (A/N I'm sorry. I had to do that. Clichés are my best writing buddies.)**

Hermione cleared her throat. "I'll see you in the morning… Draco."

"Goodnight Hermione." He said without any hesitation and they parted at the window dais.

Hermione entered her room. It was just as magnificent as the common room but done in her house's shade of crimson with gold accents. A Gryffindor tapestry hung on the wall and featured a lion dozing in a corridor. Its ear twitched when she popped open the locks of her trunk.

From the trunk Hermione took out a silver photo frame. This was not a Wizarding photograph but a muggle one and its smiling faces could not respond to the sobs wracking Hermione's chest. It was a photo of Hermione's parents. Before the school year started she had removed their memories of the Wizarding world and of Hermione. The last Hermione had heard of them they had moved to Australia.

"Why…? Why does the whole ruddy Wizarding community have to be so discriminatory? It's not fair!" Hermione threw the photo frame on the hard stone floor and it smashed into a thousand jagged pieces.

The tapestry of the lion roared and looked up in indignation. "Mistress, please forgive my rudeness but _shut up!_"

"Sorry." Hermione looked abashed and waved her wand over the smashed frame. "_Reparo. _If I might enquire… who are you?"

"I am the guardian of the Gryffindor spirit. I am Mildred." Hermione suppressed a giggle. It seemed such an absurd name for such a proud beast. "I live to serve the Gryffindor heads. I am a gateway."

"What do you mean by a gateway?" Hermione asked Mildred as she sat in a red leather chair that faced the tapestry.

"I am a passage to the outside." Mildred said in his ever helpful tone.

"When you say outside do you mean outside the castle or this room?" Hermione's quick mind jumped.

"I am a gateway." Mildred didn't seem to be willing to explain his purpose further so Hermione switched tactics.

"Could you take me to the Gryffindor common room?"

"If you wish it." Mildred replied solemnly. "Although I can't imagine why you'd want to go there. Aren't you in here hiding from there?"

"No! I'm a Gryffindor. I don't run away. And of course I want to go there. They're my friends."

"Fine. Very well. Lift up the corner of the tapestry. Behind it there's a door. It will take you to where you want to go." Mildred sighed and walked down his corridor.

Hermione did as she was told. As Mildred had said, there was a door with a brass handle that she promptly opened. She entered into a dim corridor. An open archway at the end of it showed the Gryffindor common room. She could see Harry, Ginny and Ron by the fire place. Their laughter reached her ears and she looked away. Suddenly this didn't seem like a good idea.

"Going home?" Mildred laughed. Hermione glared at him and nodded. "Of course you are. Very well then. Just open the door and you'll be where you belong."

"This is going to be a long year with you isn't it?" The lion literally roared with laughter and walked down his passage away from Hermione.

"Home it is then." Hermione sighed and opened the door. She walked into the room before her, not noticing the colour change, and walked right into the arms of Draco Malfoy.


	4. Chapter 4: The Unwilling Truth

**A/N: Hi y'all. So I know everyone must hate me by now and I'm really sorry. I was revelling in my first week of school holidays but I'm back now and [Better yet] I have found my notebook that contains my storyline. I'm sorry for those of you who hate fluff but this chapter is possibly the fluffiest thing I have written since grade six (don't ask). I meant to give this chapter a greater meaning but the muses control me- not the other way around.**

**In my head Draco was always really chivalrous. Not super brave or Gryffindor like but nice in his own way. Gentlemanly like. Please review. Pretty please.**

**-xox Callie**

**Chapter 4: The Unwilling Truth**

**Chapter 4: The Unwilling Truth**

"What the bleedin' hell are you doing in my room Granger?" Hermione heard a voice say above her head. She looked up into the face of Draco Malfoy and scowled.

"Would you believe me if I told you my magical Gryffindor Guardian brought me here as some kind of sick joke because I said I wanted to go home?" Hermione asked, believing he'd blow it off as bullshit.

Moving away from her to sit on the end of his bed, Malfoy did not laugh or yell as she had thought he would. Instead he gestured to an arm chair near his fireplace and said "I doubt it but you can always try."

"Really?" Hermione was instantly suspicious that Malfoy was having her on and playing with her like a cat does with a mouse.

"It's not like I've got anything to do. Beside, the way I see it, we have to work with each other for the rest of the year anyway, and I don't have any real desire to argue with you all year. Have you?" Malfoy raised an eyebrow at Hermione, who had yet to move an inch.

"I don't actually." Hermione spoke slowly as she made her way over to the chair. "That's very… mature of you Malfoy." She sat down; there was a glint in his eye she didn't trust.

"Well… thanks." An awkward silence hung in the air for a moment then "Weren't you going to explain what you're doing in my room?"

"Oh. Right. Well I was in my room-"

Malfoy cut in "and you simply had a desperate need to come see me?"

Hermione ignored him and continued on as if she'd never been interrupted. "-and my house banner, well the lion in it, began to speak. It told me it was a gateway and I asked it to take me to Gryffindor Common room." Malfoy scoffed at that.

"Granger, are you ever going to get to the point?" Malfoy sighed and began playing with a snitch that had been lying on his bedside table.

"I'm nearly there Draco, just wait a minute." Hermione opened her mouth to continue but something stopped her in her tracks. Did she just call Malfoy Draco?

"Did you just call me Draco?" the Slytherin in question asked, befuddled.

"I… think I did." An even more confused Hermione said.

"It's alright. But…" He hesitated. "CanIcallyouHermionethen?"

"Pardon? I didn't quite catch that." Of course Hermione had heard every word, she just wanted to be sure she wasn't hearing things.

"Can I call you Hermione then?" Draco looked confusedly at the words spilling from his own mouth.

"I suppose… Draco." Hermione blinked. "How odd… it doesn't feel weird saying that."

"Erm… what were you saying before?" Draco asked.

"Oh… er… right. So I lifted up the tapestry and there was a door behind it and behind he door was a corridor that lead to the Gryffindor Common Room. Only once I could see it I didn't want to be there anymore. So I turned around and Mildred asked me if I was going home. And I asked him if it was going to be a long year with him. And I opened the door and ended up here."

"So you asked to go home and it…um… brought you _here_?" Draco was biting his bottom lip to keep from laughing.

"I suppose it did." Hermione said unhappily.

"Why?"

"One of two reasons: the first would be as a joke. The second would be because I consider you home in the sense you are constant. I know where I stand with you. Even though we stand as enemies. Harry is uber protective sometimes and careless others, Ron can be clueless or arsish and my parents were torn between wanting to lock me up for saying you tried to kill Dumbledore and wanting to smother me and make it all better until I removed their memories so the Death Eaters wouldn't find them!" Hermione said quickly, all within the same breath.

Draco was quiet for so long that Hermione wondered if he'd fallen asleep. But then he spoke. "Hermione? If I asked you anything would you tell me the truth?"

"Yes. Why?" Hermione cocked her head to one side.

"I think someone slipped Veritaserum in your pumpkin juice tonight. Would you like me to take you to Madam Pomfrey? Or would you rather just wait for it to wear off?"

"I would like to wait here for it to wear off." Hermione said, though judging by the look on her face, Draco deduced it was not said voluntarily.

Draco felt bad for the girl who sat before him, the girl so powerful usually but so vulnerable at this moment. Then a thought struck him. "Wait _here_? As in right here?"

"Yes."

"Alright. You can have my room for the night. I'll just sleep in the common room." He'd turned to leave when he felt a soft hand on his arm.

"Don't leave. Stay with me. Please?" Hermione pleaded with her eyes and Draco sighed.

"Sure. Whatever." He made his way over to the chair she had just left. Before e could sit down Hermione stopped him once again. "What now?"

Hermione shook her head. "I didn't mean there." She pulled him to his bed like a stubborn child and lay down on it. When he didn't follow her she pulled on his arm. Hard.

"Hermione are you sure?" Draco wasn't entirely sure if it had been only Veritaserum in her pumpkin juice.

"Just hold me? Please?" Hermione looked up at Draco with her big brown eyes and he climbed into bed with her. He held her close and she snuggled into his chest.

They lay there for what seemed like hours (though in reality was only minutes) and Draco had though Hermione had fallen asleep when she asked, in a very quiet voice, "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I don't know Hermione. I don't know." He answered her with the same honesty she had shown him.


	5. Chapter 5: Dos and Don'ts

**A/N Hey guys, I'm actually updating quickly for once so I hope you enjoy this new chapter. It's the last of what I've been writing in my notebook though so from here on out it is completely unplanned. Enjoy and please review. Pretty please with Cherries on top? I can't get better at this without reviews.**

**-Xox Callie**

**Chapter 5: Dos and Don'ts**

When Draco awoke the next morning he was mortified to see Hermione's hand draped across his chest. The only he could think of that was more horrifying, was that he was thinking of her as Hermione. Not mudblood no; not even _Granger_; Hermione.

Draco sat bolt upright in bed. He slipped out of Hermione's embrace carefully, trying to not let her delicate form wake. Just as he was about to leave the room he paused. Hermione looked so… peaceful. She wasn't angry, or studying, just peaceful. It was a good look on her. Draco scrounged around on his desk for a scrap of parchment. Once he'd found one he grabbed a self-inking quill and in his long, elegant script he wrote:

_Hermione,_

_I've just gone to grab a shower. I wasn't sure if you were a morning person so I didn't want to wake you. I'll bring back breakfast and your timetable._

_-D_

Draco placed the parchment on his bedside table and left the room silently. He crept downstairs to the Heads' bathroom.

Draco had always thought clearer in the past after he'd showered and once he'd done so he sat in a chair by the fire to do just that.

Draco had meant to kill the girl. That had been his plan- play with her emotions, use her, betray her, and kill her. The knife could not come alive without her heart. And when the Dark Lord orders you to give him an alive knife you _give _the Dark Lord an alive knife.

Why then had he taken mercy on her? He'd had the perfect chance to last night. She had been so vulnerable. He could have asked her anything- the Order's HQ, their plans, their weaknesses, her fears, her hopes, her dreams, what she saw in that git Potter…No. Draco would not think that way. He couldn't. He couldn't care for her. It would kill them both.

He would stick to the plan; get her away from Pothead, make her trust him, stab her with the knife through the heart, give the knife to the dark Lord. Any feelings he had for Hermione- no, not Hermione, the mudblood- were insignificant.

Draco stood up and left the room, leaving his conscience behind with it, and went to the Great Hall to get Granger toast.

Hermione woke not long after Draco had left the room. She looked around in alarm. Where was she? The colours were all wrong. And then she remembered. Oh, Merlin. She had been under Veritaserum. And Draco… he hadn't taken advantage. And she liked saying his name. She wasn't sure but she thought she had told him as much. Wait where was Draco?

There was a note on his bedside table. She read over it quickly and smiled to herself. Yet… it bothered her. Draco he had been so cruel to her for so long… and he tried to murder Dumbledore the year previous. Yet he seemed so different. And apart from that moment in the Entrance Hall he hadn't been cruel to her at all. Maybe… maybe he could be different. Perhaps he wasn't as bad as he seemed. Just maybe.

Hermione leaned back into Draco's pillows. The one thing she couldn't work out though was why _she_ had asked to stay with _him_. Unless Veritaserum brought up some kind of very submerged emotions that she thought she had squashed in 1st year on the train…

Hermione quickly went over what she had said to Draco the night before. As far as she could tell she hadn't told him anything that he could use against her or the Order. In fact the worst thing she had done was tell him to stay with her and that she had liked saying his name. It would be okay.

Hermione regretfully left the cool sheets of Draco's bed and went downstairs to the bathroom. She had a quick shower and brushed her hair and teeth, applying liberal amounts of _Sleekeazy's Hair Potion_ to tame her wild curls. It had become a daily habit for her to do this and she was looking into charming her hair into permanently but so far no luck. She changed into her school robes and sat in the chair by the fireplace that, unbeknown to her, Draco had been sitting in 15 minutes prior. Hermione drifted off to sleep as thoughts of confusion and warm embraces bounced around in her skull.

"Potter! I'm not having you on! Hermione's really working out the prefects' patrol rotation, alright? I just need to get her timetable." Draco slowed down his breathing and concentrated on not cursing Potter into oblivion then and there.

Harry spluttered, "Why you little ferret- you think you can just-"

"Mr Potter, Mr Malfoy what is the issue here?" McGonagall interrupted.

"I just need to get Hermione's timetable for her is all, Professor." Draco said in the calmest voice he could manage.

"Do you remember what we discussed after the feast, Mr Malfoy?" McGonagall didn't even look at the Boy Who Lived twice before addressing the school Ferret.

"Yes, Professor."

"Very well then, here you go Malfoy." McGonagall handed the slip of parchment to Malfoy and he took it from her grasp before turning around and leaving a gaping Chosen One and Weasley behind.

Malfoy walked out of the Great Hall with his usual regal stride, balancing a stack of toast in one hand and clutching both his and Hermione's timetables in the other, but as soon as he was out the doors he sprinted to the portrait of the eagle and muttered "_pax" _before returning to his regular stride and walking through the portrait hole.

"Hermione." Draco blinked in surprise. He had thought she'd still be asleep. Then he saw that she, if fact, was asleep in the armchair they both seemed to favour. Then softly he said "Hermione. Hermione, wake up."

Hermione stirred in her sleep and muttered "Draco." But she was merely talking in her sleep.

"Hermione... you're going to miss class." Draco smirked when she sat bolt upright and looked around in shock.

"Draco…" She said groggily. "What time is it?"

"Hermione it's only quarter to 8. You'll be fine. I have your breakfast as promised. And I have your timetable." He presented her with the sheet of parchment and the stack of fresh toast.

"Thankyou Draco." She opened up the timetable and looked at it in confusion. "Draco this is yours."

"Oh sorry. Here." He handed her the other timetable.

It didn't erase the puzzled look on her face. "Draco… may I see your timetable again. Oh my."

"What?"

"Merlin. They've put us in _all_ the same classes." She showed Draco the two timetables side by side.

"Only Dumbledore."

"No kidding. No one else would actually force us to work together. Or call a truce for that matter." Hermione muttered darkly.

"Come on. We've got a long day ahead of us." Draco held a hand out to help up Hermione and she took it gratefully.

"Um… Draco?" Hermione asked softly.

"What is it?" He turned to look at her.

"Thankyou." She said quickly. "For last night, I mean. For not asking me about the Order."

"Don't mention it." Draco gulped. "Really – don't; it'd ruin my reputation."

Hermione giggled as Draco and Hermione left for Potions together.


	6. Chapter 6: Amortentia

**A/N: Hey I just got the urge to write so here's chapter 6. I don't know when I'll be updating again but hopefully the Muses will move me soon. I may need to apologise for my clichés. See my obsession with writing clichés is sort of like the way I watch Disney movies. I'm way too old to enjoy it and yet I love it. Hopefully, my dearest readers, you feel the same way. **

**XOX Callie**

**Disclaimer: As per usual JKR has refused me the rights to the Harry Potter Universe so all the characters and pretty much anything you recognise belongs to her. I got the recipe for Amortentia from ****** _.com_.

**Chapter 6: Amortentia **

The N.E.W.T potions class was even smaller than the last year when it had only had 11 students. It now held nine. All the Slytherins, with the exception of Draco, had failed the exams they had had to take over the holidays. Harry and Ron gave Hermione and Draco a strange look when she entered but, remembering the previous night's fight, she gave them a wide berth and sat next to Draco.

"Now then class, remember a last year when I first came to Hogwarts and in our first lesson I showed you all those difficult potions?" Slughorn asked the seventh years with a foolish smile on his face. The tiny class nodded or shrugged except Hermione, who guessed what was about to happen and simply sat up a little straighter. "Well, those potions, the Polyjuice potion, the Veritaserum, the Felix Felicis and last but not least the Amortentia, are the ones we'll be making this year."

Ernie Macmillan, the only Hufflepuff left in the class, sat next to Mandy Brocklehurst, one of the Ravenclaws, he let out a cry of indignation at Slughorn's request. "But Professor you said they were incredibly complex potions!"

Slughorn looked a little put out at this. "I figured that this class was up to the challenge…" He frowned and then suddenly seemed to regain is composure. "At any rate that _is _the assigned task. For the first potion you will make Amortentia. All of the potions will remain in this room and the dungeons will remain locked at all times. If you need to tend to your potion you must get a teacher's permission and supervision. No exceptions. You will partner with the person sitting next to you and they will be your partner for the rest of the school year. Instructions are on the board. Ingredients are in the cupboard and you may now begin."

_Ingredients:_

_12 Ashwinder eggs, frozen _

_2 oz. of belladonna essence _

_5 Veela hairs _

_1 rose (petals only) _

_1 cup of white wine, mixed with 1 cup of water _

"You get the wine for step one, I'll get the Ashwinder eggs for step 2." Hermione said briskly, ignoring the mix of feelings the idea of working with Draco all year brought up.

"No. _You _get the wine. _I'll_ get the Ashwinder Eggs. _What?_ I just don't want them melting and you getting burned!" Draco was scared by the truth of his sentence. It went against everything he had told himself that morning.

"Draco Malfoy I am perfectly capable of looking after myself and-" Hermione cut herself of when Draco covered her hand with his.

"Okay fine. I get it. I was just worried. You've been a little distressed is all. Wouldn't want my grade to suffer from your lack of focus is all. I'll go get the wine." His dry attempt at his regular contempt failed but it made Hermione let out a tiny laugh so he was rather happy with himself.

"Thanks Draco. You… surprise me." Hermione let a tiny smile escape and left to collect the Ashwinder eggs.

"Hermione… I'm really sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to-" Harry touched Hermione lightly on her arm.

"To what, Harry? To try and control me like that?" Hermione glared at him. Until she worked out that she was only still mad at him because Draco Malfoy, of _all_ people, had the decency not to try and do what Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley had done to her. "You know what Harry? Forget about it. It's no big deal let's just forget about it alright?"

"Thanks 'Mione. I'll make it up to you, promise." Harry pecked her on the cheek and ran out to stop Ron from adding the wine to the potion without adding water to their potion.

Hermione was still disgruntled but she ignored her anger and went to collect the Ashwinder eggs. She cast an ice charm around the eggs to precent them from defrosting and levitated them to where Draco was stirring the beginning of their potion. "Here are the eggs. What do we need to do next?"

"So we add the eggs slowly and bring it to a slight boil. Then we stir it until the potion gets thick. Apparently it goes all sparkly blue like. And we just need to stir it for five minutes." Draco skimmed the textbook for the potion ingredients. "I'll go get the veela hairs we need for the next step. You add the eggs and stir."

"Yeah, alright." Hermione started adding the Ashwinder eggs. Draco went back to the store cupboard to get the hairs.

"What are you playing at, Malfoy?" Ron glared at him.

"What are you talking about Weaslebee?" Draco slowly turned to face him.

"Stay away from Hermione, Ferret. Or you'll have more than just your hair to worry about." Harry said through clenched teeth.

"Ooh, nice threat. Been working on that long Pothead?" Draco rolled his eyes. "Anyway I'm just working with her. We had to call a truce. Dumbledore's orders. No need to get jealous Potter." The corner of his mouth twitched. Potter was clearly jealous and Draco loved every minute of it.

"I- no- of course not!" Potter frowned and stormed of to resume work on the potion.

"You better watch yourself around her Malfoy. And I say this as a genuine warning. You hurt her and she'll get you back just as bad, or Harry will." Ron told him.

"And what about you Weasel?" Draco raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing. Because I refuse to believe that even you could be that stupid. She's one of a kind, Hermione is. But she's downright scary when she's angry." Ron looked Draco dead in the eye before turning to join Harry. As soon as Draco had taken a step towards the storage cupboard however Ron said "Don't tell them I warned you. They'd kill me."

"Don't worry Weasley. Your deep, dark secret's safe with me. And you're right. I'm not as stupid as Potter makes me out to be." Draco went and retrieved the Veela hairs from the storage cupboard.

"Thanks Draco." Hermione smiled as Draco handed her the Hair, which she quickly added to the potion.

"Alright, you should be ready to take your potion of the fire. Make sure you cover your cauldrons or you'll accidentally inhale the vapour. This can cause a narcissistic complex." Slughorn bellowed from his desk.

"Well, it wouldn't make much of a difference to you now would it Draco?" Hermione said teasingly.

"Hey! I'm not _that_ bad. Am I?" Draco said suddenly self conscious.

"Well you aren't now. Even if you may have been before." Hermione was genuine now. She took the cauldron off the flame and placed its lid on. She sat down and faced Draco.

"How can you tell that I'm not?" Draco said, leaning his head on his palm.

"Well for one thing… to be narcissistic you need to be completely in love with yourself. Someone who is _that_ selfish never would just randomly help someone. Or fetch their timetables for instance…." She said pointedly.

Draco shook his head and wondered for the thousandth time what he had gotten himself into. To himself he muttered "You are so surprising Miss Granger…" unbeknown to him she had heard him and blushed profusely.

**A/N: Sooooooooooooooooooo what did you think? Did I get my mojo back? So I don't hate Harry. It just seemed like he needed to be the bad guy in this fic. On the other hand I positively HATE Ron Weasley but I'm making him the good guy. Review and tell me what you think. Pretty please? More reviews means quicker updates. By the way just so you know I'm going to beta the story throughout the day so that means fixing spelling and stuff. Soooo that means that if you get an alert saying I've updated this after I pos this TODAY it's not an update. Just beta-ing. Pretty please review.**

**Xox Callie.**


	7. Chapter 7: Muggle StudiesBlaise Zabini

**A/N: Hola mi amigos. So I wrote another chapter. Things are getting warmer between Draco and Hermione and the plotline is becoming even more confusing. It's actually confusing to the point where I wrote a list of plot threads that need to be tied up. Such as Dumbledore's true motives and what Draco is going to do with that knife. As usual there is some pleading for my lovely readers to Review. Please. I'm clearly not above begging for constructive criticism. Hope you like the first Muggle Studies class of the year.**

**-xox Callie**

**Chapter Seven: Muggle Studies and Blaise Zabini**

"Come on Hermione, I'm not saying flying doesn't have its flaws however it's still a viable means of transportation." Draco said to Hermione as they made their way up the stairs from the dungeon to the first floor.

"And so walking and fluing and apparition and… what?" Hermione looked at Draco incredulous.

"I just, nah, forget it." He shook his head and continued to the Muggle Studies classroom.

"What?" Hermione grabbed his arm to halt him.

"I… I missed arguing with you is all." Draco ducked his head and stared at the floor.

"Well Mr Malfoy, in that case, I suppose we can continue arguing and still be friends. Right?" Hermione adjusted the strap of her bag and smiled softly.

"Friends… alright." Draco would never admit to her that with he exception of Blaise Zabini , he had never had a friend before.

"Why do you love flying so much anyway? It's uncomfortable and slow." Hermione said as she reached the Entrance Hall.

"Honestly it's a good escape. You don't have to deal with so many rules and regulations or be bossed around. Plus on a practicality level you don't have to worry about Magical Tracing." Draco said as he opened the door to the Muggle Studies classroom.

"You don't have to worry about that with cars either. But no. Wizards are so high and mighty they could never bring themselves low enough to travel in a car. Heaven forbid you use a telephone or dare I say it the internet." Hermione rolled her eyes and sat down in a desk at the back of the classroom; Draco sat to her right.

"You really have issues with Wizards not embracing technology don't you?" Draco asked her.

"I mean it's 2012. We're still living in the middle ages. We wear robes; we have pointy hats and send letters rather than simply calling someone." Hermione pulled out her text book (_Advanced Muggle Studies_) and angled it perfectly on the table and lined her quill up with her parchment. "I mean here. Look what I'm talking about. They have these new fangled things called pens and paper. Muggles use them all the time and they're yet to die from it." **(A/N I know that Harry Potter is set in the 90's but I wasn't old enough to understand culture in the 90's so I'm just pretending that it's the 2010's)**

"That's true. And also-" Draco reached down and pulled out something from his bag to show Hermione. It was a heap of pens and a wad of paper, "they're not illegal. You can use them without getting in trouble."

"I guess I never considered actually using them at Hogwarts. Weird, eh?" Hermione put the parchment and quill back in her bag and took out a notepad and a biro.

"Then why…?"

"Do I have a pen in my bag? Because I take notes on things other than school work. I have had this notebook stashed in my bag since year one." Hermione patted the book fondly and opened it to a blank page just as the new Professor entered the room. She was a little taller than Hermione, wore an office suit with tailored black pants, dead straight blonde hair and looked as though she could have been a student.

"I am Professor Liesel. I will be teaching Muggle Studies this year. I run a tight ship, set a heap of homework and I expect you to keep up. I'm here for one reason only and that is to point out that Muggles aren't filth like a certain Tom Riddle would have you believe. I am going to give you one chance to ask me non intrusive questions about my personal life and one chance only. Go." Professor Liesel, true to her word was a fast talker indeed. Hermione stuck up her hand. "Yes you. The girl at the back with the brown hair."

"Hermione Granger; Professor if you don't mind me asking how old are you?" Hermione asked carefully.

"Don't worry Granger. It happened at my interview too. I'm pretty used to it by now. I'm eighteen. I just finished school at the end of May." She rolled her eyes at their dumbstruck expressions.

"I swear I am not trying to be offensive right now I am just curious- what's your blood status?" Blaise Zabini said from the table next to Draco and Hermione. He had been listening in on his friend's conversation with the muggle-born girl and was already forming ideas in his head. Maybe Dumbledore had a point in appointing them Heads…

"Actually Mr…"

"Blaise. Blaise Zabini."

"Mr Zabini I'm going to be honest here- there is no possible way that you _couldn't _have offended me right then. But since I've noticed a pattern with the Slytherins here so far today I'll bite. I'm a Muggle. My sister was a witch. The only one in our family. She was murdered. By Death Eaters. So like batty old Headmaster we all know, I pledged myself to take care of young wizards' minds so that they won't be corrupted by the crazy ass "Pure Blood" wizards who seem to know every possible way to discriminate against _blood _of all things." They stared at her in shock for three reasons. The first, because she was a _muggle_, the second, she admitted to Dumbledore being batty and thirdly, she had sworn in front of them.

"Alrighty then, nothing to say? Good. I hate it when people give me sympathy especially when everyone here has lost someone in the last 12 months. Let's get on with the lesson. For the next few weeks I am going to teach you lot how to use a computer."

Hermione grinned. Draco elbowed her. "What, Draco?"

"Wipe that stupid grin off your face. You look ridiculous." Draco said playfully as Professor Liesel explained how to turn the computer on.

"Whatever. Now shush. Don't you need to learn how to use a computer?" She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Firstly, no. I used to stay at Aunt Andy's house all the time before _he _came back, and Uncle Ted taught me how to use one. Secondly, I'll just ask you if I get really lost. Is that alright with you?" Draco actually asked the last part. He was majorly aware that she had issues with Ron and Harry skiving off in class.

Hermione thought for a moment and then surprised herself with the answer she gave "No I don't mind. If you need help with the computers that's fine. Anything else and-"

"I'm on my own. Got it." Draco nodded and began to sketch a laptop on his paper. "So… what's with the book?"

"The book? What- oh! Right. _That_ book. Well I just wrote down all the issues we, Ron, Harry and I, have had to face." She blushed and flicked through the pages.

"Like what?" Draco asked with a smile that stole her breath.

"Well… um… okay the first entry was when we needed to find out who Nicholas Flammel is…" Hermione recounted her adventures to Draco who listened carefully, soaking in every detail.

They talked all class, Draco occasionally making a sarcastic anecdote ("Only the Weaslebee would be thick enough to be attacked by brains") until they heard their names being said by Professor Liesel.

"If we look at Muggle and Wizarding behaviour comparatively we can see that they're not so different. Imagine Muggle school children sitting in a class. They talk all lesson; joking around, flirting. You'd assume they had feelings for each other, correct? Now look at Granger and Malfoy, isn't that just what they've been doing?"

The whole class (in addition to Blaise, Draco, Hermione, there were 4 Hufflepuffs and 2 Ravenclaws) burst out in hysterics apart from Blaise and the two in question.

"Gosh Professor… we knew you were young but we didn't think you were clueless. Those two have hated each other since the moment they laid eyes on each other. They've been arguing all lesson." Sara Fawcett (Ravenclaw) called out.

Blaise, seeing Hermione and Draco's petrified faces looked to Professor Liesel and pleaded with his eyes. "Professor, I've been sitting next to them this whole time and they haven't stopped arguing."

Seeing Blaise's desperate plea Professor Anna Liesel smiled inwardly. She hadn't been wrong. It was just taboo to say it out loud. "You're right Blaise. I must have been imagining things. How daft of me. Very well then, class dismissed. Blaise, may I talk with you for a moment? I noticed you were still getting confused by the idea of the internet."

"Sure thing Professor." He gave her a small salute and leaned over to whisper something in Draco's ear, who promptly burst out laughing.

"What did Blaise tell you?" Hermione asked suspiciously as soon as they left class.

"Promise you won't get mad at him? Pinky swear?" Draco held out his little finger and Hermione entwined it with her own.

"Promise. Now tell me."

"Okay, He said two things. The first was an order to wait outside class to meet with him. The second was him commenting on the –quote "enormous hotness" of Professor Liesel." Draco rolled his eyes at his best friend's behaviour.

"Yep that sounds like something he'd say." Hermione tutted. Then a thought occurred to her, "Oh, do you want me to leave? I mean that's totally fine with me if you do-" Hermione was cut off as Draco placed his hand over her mouth.

"Hermione, you're rambling. You never ramble. Like _ever._ Also you can stay; I would have told you by now if I didn't want you here." Draco brushed a strand of hair from her face and smiled warmly.

"Fine. Whatever. Let's just wait for stupid Blaise. I wish he'd hurry up. If he doesn't I'm just gonna leave 'cause I'll assume he's making out with the Professor." Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah that sounds like a fair assumption." Blaise said, coming into the Entrance Hall. "How are you doing Hermione?"

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm good. Probably not as well as Draco is but I'm well." Blaise said giving Draco an odd look.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Draco asked, fearing the answer.

"You know perfectly well what it means My Good Man. Oh, by the way, on that topic; I may have had a little discussion with the teacher about making the class sign a privacy agreement." Blaise said a little sheepishly.

"Why?" Asked Hermione. She too feared Blaise's answers. She felt they were all on the same page here but not speaking it out loud.

"So that you guys don't have to act like complete arseholes to each other in class. I figured you could do without the Pansy torturing Hermione. Or Pothead attempting to murder you, Draco. Anna's drawing it up now. She's enchanting so it can only be broken by her. Nothing that happens in her class will exit her class. She got Dumbledore's permission and everything." Blaise said with no regret.

"_Anna?"_ Draco asked incredulously.

"_Dumbledore?"_ Hermione hissed.

"You-" Draco began.

"Are-" Hermione continued.

"So-" Draco spat.

"Dead!" they said together and pounced on a dumbstruck Blaise.


	8. Chapter 8: Blaise Learns to Lie

**A/N: Hello, lovelies. I know how much you must hate me. I know it's been months and I know you can't forgive me for getting grounded again. I'm really, really, really sorry. I truly am. I got stuck and I freaked and I'm really sorry. But the new chapter is up and I'm determined to win you back.**

**Pretty please review…. I can see when people read the story and it makes me really sad to see that so many people care enough to keep reading but not enough to write a quick line to tell me what they thought. **

**Xox Callie**

**Disclaimer: Draco and Hermione agreed to let themselves be kidnapped for a while so now they're all mine. Nah, just kidding they're still JKR's.**

**Chapter 8: Blaise Learns To Lie**

Blaise had no idea why they were so upset; it wasn't as though he'd outright said that they liked each other. He'd thought it really loud, sure but had he said anything to them? No, of course not, he valued his life too much to do something as stupid as that.

It had given him a chance to speak to the hottie professor though. That was definitely a plus. As was watching McGonagall herd the two of them to her office. On the downside however; he had a black eye (Granger's work) and a bruise the size of a Fanged Frisbee on his stomach (Malfoy's doing), and he had to go see Dumbledore for some strange reason.

Blaise made his way over to the stone grotesques that guarded Dumbledore's office. "Fudge Flies." He said to them. Sadly it had gotten to the point where he was in Dumbledore's office so often that he just sent the password to him at the start of each week.

"Ah, Mr Zabini, good to see you." Dumbledore said as he entered the office, without even bothering to knock.

"Wish I could say the same Professor, but as per usual, apparently I've done something wrong without understanding exactly what." Blaise went to put his feet up on Dumbledore's desk but the old man held a hand up to stop him, placed a coaster under his feet and allowed him to continue.

"Oh, don't talk such nonsense Blaise; I know perfectly well that you know calling people _Mudblood_ is wrong. I know you do because you told me yourself." Dumbledore said, his eyes crinkling.

"Sorry Professor Dumbledore, I needed to check if we were alone." Blaise took his feet off Dumbledore's table and sat up straight. "So what seems to be the problem, Sir?"

"Not a problem exactly Blaise, just a query as to how Mr Malfoy and Miss Granger are getting on." Dumbledore said innocently.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you?" Blaise accused his headmaster with narrowed eyes.

"I assure you I have no idea what you're talking about." Dumbledore said with his chin held up high.

"I'm pretty sure you do, you mad fool. The Veritaserum in Hermione's drink. You did it to bring them closer. Making them heads. Putting them in all the same classes. The ridiculous Lion in her room. Slughorn setting them Amortentia. It was your plan. You want them together. Why?"

"So it's working then?" Dumbledore grinned.

"Like a charm, but why?"

"Let's stick with there's no greater power than love. Alright? Blaise you know I can't tell you everything." Dumbledore sighed and ushered for Blaise to leave.

"I know. It frustrates me to no end though." Blaise scowled.

"And one more thing Blaise?" Dumbledore called just as he was about to leave.

"What Old Man?"

"Try not to break Miss Liesel's heart alright? She's been hurt enough." Dumbledore smiled as though to encourage him.

"You're not mad?" Blaise asked sheepishly.

"No, of course not. You break my god-daughter's heart? Then I'll be mad." Dumbledore closed the door on Blaise, leaving him unable to stare at Dumbledore in disbelief. _The Old Coot has a god-daughter? _

"I better go see Ginny. I'm not fighting with _her_ after all." Hermione pulled her cloak tighter around her.

"I suppose you should." Draco muttered looking at his feet. "I'll see you later, alright."

"I'll see you in Charms right?" Hermione dared to look at him. After Blaise had fled to Dumbledore they had been avoiding each other's eyes and had walked silently into the Entrance Hall.

"Hermione, we're all of the same classes. Of course you will." Draco laughed and his shoulder's loosened.

"What are the bet's that Flitwick pairs us up?"

"I think Dumbledore bribed all the teachers into making us work together." Draco said with a slight shake of his head.

"You're probably onto something there. I wouldn't put it past him. I'm still unsure of Professor Liesel though. I don't know her angle with that flirting stuff. We were just talking."

Draco felt a twinge of regret in his heart but brushed it off. "Don't you mean Anna? Bloody Blaise. More trouble than he's worth that one."

"Oh please he's your best friend and you know it." Hermione raised an eyebrow in a silent dare.

"Yeah well… How are we going to go about this?" Draco gestured to the Great Hall doors.

"What if you go in first, I'll wait a moment and then follow. That way they don't have to see us together?" Hermione offered Draco.

"I wish there was another way." Draco muttered.

"You're not alone with that Draco but at the end of the day we're not allowed to be friends. We're not on the same side of the war and, as much as I'd love to pretend we could, we can't just destroy that fact."

"Hermione?" A voice sounded from behind Draco and Hermione and they turned sharply.

"Hi Ginny." Hermione grimaced at her best friend. She could tell instantly that she'd been watching them in the Entrance Hall and had heard every word.

"We're going to your common room and you will explain yourselves." Ginny said sighing.

"Yes Ginny." Draco and Hermione said in harmony before marching up the staircase to the second floor corridor where the portrait of the Hogwarts Eagle lies.

"Where's Draco, Blaise?" Pansy asked, running her pudgy hand along Blaise's collarbone.

Blaise sighed but remained motionless. Daft bint never could get the hint. "For the last time Pansy, I don't know. You know how he is, he's probably making out with some seventh year in a broom cupboard." Quite frankly Blaise wouldn't have been shocked if he _had_ been making out with some seventh year. Namely Hermione.

"What about the Granger Mudblood then? You had class with her just before, surely you know where she is?" Pansy practically purred, trailing her nail down Blaise's neck.

"Give it a rest Pansy. I don't know where the bloody hell anyone is. I don't care to know." Blaise gritted his teeth.

"Would you care to know if we went somewhere a little more… private?" Pansy batted her heavily lined eyes suggestively.

"Merlin, Pansy, enough. I'm not interested." Blaise stepped away from her and went to walk down to the dungeons.

"I know what you're hiding. I know they're friends. Possibly even more." Pansy said, calm as a raging storm.

"I don't know what you're talking about Pansy." Blaise said as he continued to the Slytherin Common room to escape Pansy.

**A/N: I know it's short but that's all that was really needed in this chapter. Please review and tell me what you think of Professor Anna Liesel.**


	9. Chapter 9 The Other Weasley

**Chapter 9: The Other Weasley**

"So let me see if I've got this right; you were acting weird last night because someone slipped you Veritaserum and a talking Lion caused you to end up friends with Ferret-boy over here?" Ginny jerked her head at Draco. "And you expect me to believe that's all to the story?"

"I'm not a Ferret." Draco slumped down in his seat net to Hermione.

"Essentially." Hermione ignored him in favour of glaring at Ginny.

"Fine. Whatever. If you say so." Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Really?"

"Pfft, hell no. I'm going to interrogate you later." Ginny said with a laugh at Draco and Hermione's disappointment.

"Draco- oh. Hey Ginger. Hi Hermione." A tall Slytherin stumbled his way into the Common room.

"What is it Blaise? Can't you see that you've caused enough problems for one day?" Draco strode over to one of the many bookcases and from it lifted his Potions textbook. "I have homework to do as it is."

"You remember how you had potions and how the Ravenclaws manage to hold civil conversations with Astoria Greengrass on occasion? Well Astoria told Pansy that you guys weren't at each other's throats, in the way she expects you to be I mean, and now she's trying to find out stuff from me." Blaise slumped against the back of the door, obviously exhausted. "Please Draco, I am begging you, give me sanctuary."

"It's fine with me if it's fine with Hermione." Draco said, not looking up from his potion book.

"Go ahead and stay. Ginny and I have stuff to do anyway. Just give us a shout if you need us." Hermione picked up her bag and went to her room, Ginny trailing behind.

"You noticed they're going to end up together too then?" Ginny asked Blaise, peering her head out the door.

"Duh. I knew as soon as they came into that ridiculous class without staring daggers at each other." Blaise smirked.

"Beat ya to it. I knew in my third year. There was this whole conversation before the Yule Ball about how she was afraid of what he would-ow! Geez Hermione, I'm coming alright!" Ginny was quickly pulled to the confines of Hermione's room.

"Afraid of what I'd… what?" Draco muttered.

* * *

"Spill. The real story. Now."

Hermione sighed and lay down on her bed. "I spent the night in his room. With him."

"You WHAT?" Ginny's eyes bugged out as she sat, cross-legged next to Hermione's feet.

"And now all I can think about is what would happen if Harry found out."

"Hermione, rewind for a minute here. You left out the 'him being in the room while you slept' part before. Plus there why would you worry about Harry, I mean, nothing happened. Right?" Ginny's lack of self-control was oddly soothing to Hermione right now. She needed to be asking herself this, she really did; but she was afraid of the answers.

"He wasn't just in the room. I made him stay there with me. He kept trying to leave and I made him climb into the bed with me. And I just know that-" Hermione let out a choked sob, "that it wasn't the potion. It's a truth potion. It affects your mental state in no way, shape, or form."

Ginny crawled up the bed and tentatively hugged her, just like Draco had.

"I feel so awful about it. Harry would never do that to me. Never!" Hermione buried her face in Ginny's shoulder and thus missed her strange look.

"Don't. Don't feel bad about it. You only slept right? You're friends now. It didn't have to mean any more that you make it out to be. You should re-evaluate your stance on Harry though. I haven't seen you guys on speaking terms that often in the last few months."

"I guess you're right. I'm being stupid." Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes and with a nervous smile proclaimed "Enough of that all now. It's time for homework."

* * *

"Mate, you need to stop this." Ron grimaced at the scene before him.

"Or what? You'll tell 'Mione? She'd never believe you." Harry laughed hollowly and continued to button up his shirt. "Besides you just know she's shagged Malfoy."

"Shut your mouth Potter! She'd never do that to you! She doesn't deserve you fooling around on her either. It's just wrong Harry." Ron's ears began to turn their tell-tale shade of red. "Either you tell her, or I will."

"Is that a threat Weasley?"

"No, it's not. It's a promise." Ron looked down his nose at the Boy Who Lived, the boy he'd known since he was eleven, and all he felt now was shame and pity.

* * *

"By the way Ginny, please tell me that I did not happen to hear you telling dear Blaise about the eve of the Yule Ball, because if you did, I would hate to share your fears of that night?" Hermione's voice came from the extendable ear.

"You wouldn't." Draco and Blaise inferred this was indeed Ginny speaking.

"Oh, but I would." (A/N Sorry I just really love Alice)

"What do you want?" Ginny asked resigned.

"I want you to ask Nott out." Blaise turned to Draco, his eyes wide.

"_Why are we doing this again?" _Draco mouthed.

"What?! That would defeat the point of appeasing you in the first place. I may as well tell Nott that I've liked him since third year! I'm sure that'd bloody well go down nicely. No, I think I might just tell Malfoy what made you make such an effort for that ridiculous dance instead." Ginny huffed.

"_That's why." _Blaise mouthed back.

"Fine, go ahead and tell him that I-" Crookshanks batted at the ear with unforeseeable force.

"Damn it you evil feline!" Draco chased after the orange cat, truly frustrated with it.


End file.
